Friday, September 22, 2017

Broadwater (2)

Well the train lag has finally worn off from our groups trip to Melbourne. Anyone that has read the previous post on the Victorian trip to the end has either staying power, plenty of time on their hands or both.It was really an enjoyable trip and we even survived the Victorian winter. As I have said previously I am using this blog as a virtual diary, one that had recorded the history of South Coast rail both in its HO and now On30 stages.With the baseboards in place at Broadwater it was time to start laying some track. I am using the Peco O16.5 track which really suits British narrow gauge. The Micro Engineering tracks sleepers are more suited to American narrow gauge and we are stuck here in the middle modelling Victorian narrow gauge with no commercial track that really suits. Maybe we should all gang up on Peco and ask them to introduce some VR narrow gauge track. I know that you can hand lay track but to do that for the layout in entirety would require me to live to 140 years old and I probably wouldn't be able to see or hold a throttle by then. Never mind getting the wheel chair in through the door!.

Off the trestle and into Broadwater

The Broadwater baseboard adjoins the trestle baseboard in the corner. This means that I have completed the first of the two major bridges for the layout. The second bridge will be the Thomson River bridge or really my version of it. So this is where Broadwater is at, lucky with bridges either side of it.There will be a road crossing at the beginning of the board as shown by the black paper in the left hand photo.The siding to the right of the picture will contain a livestock loading facility and be long enough for two VR NM livestock wagons.As I said in the last blog it would be easy to run the track parallel to the edge but I think the gentle curve in the track gives it more appeal.I don't use any underlay in station yards, preferring to nail the track straight to the boards. Narrow gauge track was never renown for their ballasted track. This will allow me to use dirt directly around the track and surrounding yard. (Looks like another trip out to the street. I have found if I go around the corner I can get another type of dirt for variation.

Tools of track laying. (Ignore the fencing wire pliers)

Broadwater baseboard runs across the roller door to the shed. It has never had a car in it and has been put to better use containing model railway layouts. It was a great spot in winter to pull up the door and sit there in the afternoon sun and work on the layout. Now that it is getting hotter it won't be pulled up as much.

Left hand side of Broadwater

In the above photo is the left hand side of Broadwater where the Thomson River bridge baseboard will join. There is also a private siding for the shunting thereof in the future. Not sure what type of building it will be yet, but probably low relief. Which is a relief for me in that it will be quicker to build. The channels cut into the ply contain the point rodding and a bit of 'safety first' foam over them to stop me getting stabbed. (Which I am sure would have happened). The track with the carriage on it is the main, then the crossing loop and then the goods siding which is accessible from both ends.

Entrance to Broadwater from the trestle end

This will all work one day

Looking the other direction

So that's where we are at the moment. I have to fit the micro switches to the points for reliable operation and then start adding all the detail, ballast, rail painting etc etc.How lucky can you be though. I was working on the Broadwater baseboard, heard a whistle and found a loco and log wagons heading over the trestle.It brought my day to a fitting Climax!! I'll sneak a few photos in.